How to Win in Life from GMB (5)

Lesson 5: Create Symbiotic Relationships

In ancient times, men fought about everything. People had to fight for land, fight for food and if you want a sexual partner, you also have to fight for that. The excessive aggression stems from a belief that resources were very limited in the world and if one does not get his, he may never get it. So, when our ancestors saw people living on a piece of land covered with green pastures and good fruit-bearing trees, they thought that they’ll never find another place like such unless they fought the local inhabitants of the land and took over the land from them.

The assumption was that food, women, and even good drinking water were limited and so they fought over all of these. As a matter of fact, there have been many provocations of these nature that have led to wars over the cause of history and the bible records a number of them-the most famous
being the Israeli taking over the land of Jericho because they believed it was a land of milk and honey.

These competitions and aggressions which stems from the lack of understanding of the world met a decline with increased knowledge and eventually gave way to the system we have today. However, most people still think that resources are limited.

What do you think of when you see a young ambitious person who has sworn to oppose your ambitions because he thinks it is not worthy? How do you feel when some other competent person seeks to occupy the place you want? Do you still feel threatened? Do you still feel uneasy? Or do you feel
that unnecessary bitterness that drives you crazy?

Well, General Mohammad Buhari found out that there is a way to go about competition. You don’t have to be bitter, you can be a benefactor. The retired general’s journey to the presidency began in 2003 when he contested under the All Nigerian Peoples Party, ANPP ticket along with twenty other parties/individuals that are vying for the same position he sought. After a number of ‘tries and fails’, the general caught a great idea that would change the course of history in Nigeria. He sought out his major oppositions and made them an offer to help them achieve their goals if they helped him achieve his own goals. This is a winning attitude that is worth emulating.

Despite the increased knowledge and the new system of fairness and justice that humans are trying to establish around the world, people still hold on to the ancient idea that they need to fight for everything. We are ignorant of the fact that humans can create the type of life we want and we can create the resources they need. But winners know better!

They know how to create symbiotic relationships which is majorly characterized by mutual benefit. As a winner, don’t actively seek to make oppositions but when you get them accept their opposition. Be proactive and form a grand alliance with those who oppose you to fight the common enemy. In the long run, there is more than enough to share. Besides, the resources of this world are actually inexhaustible even if everyone was to be a ‘Dangote’ and if we actually exhaust these resources, the Creative Force is actually so enormous that it can create much more than we have used.